Charred Green Beans with Garlic and Pomegranate Seeds

The roasted flavour of the green beans with the pop of sweetness from the pomegranates will make these charred green beans with garlic and pomegranate seeds your new favorite!

A few weeks ago I had the chance to get away from the city for a few days to celebrate one of my best friend’s 25th birthday at her cottage on Lake Huron. Besides having the best weather, the weekend was filled with wine-fuelled fun, amazing food and even better company.

We spent most of our time going between the cottage and the beach, eating and drinking and reflecting on how 2014 has been a big year for all of us. We also made some sweet tote bags, because you can never have enough tote bags…

While cooking dinner on the Saturday night one of my oldest friend, Mary asked us how we should cut the green beans. It didn’t occur to me until that moment that there was more than one way to cut them (for the record, I trim the edges on BOTH sides of the beans). Apparently some people or single-side trimmers and some don’t trim the green beans at all. Whatever floats your boat, I suppose!

Here’s where things went crazy in my head (you knew it was going to happen…)

Those green beans got me thinking all about the different paths my group of friends and I have taken. Most of us grew up together. We spent many years wearing sailor suits while rushing to the canteen to get our “shop cookies”. We learned all the moves to High School Musical and if you get me drunk enough I might admit to having gone to the HSM concert.

We laughed, we cried, we prom’ed and celebrated making it through the middle and high school years together. And then for many of us, we parted ways. Our paths diverged and some of us trimmed one end, both ends or no ends at all. We’ve kept in touch, we’ve drifted apart and we’ve each established lives for ourselves that are incredible in their own unique ways.

But despite our divergent paths, when we come together it’s like not a day has passed. I guess green beans are still great no matter how you cut them.

29 Comments

Always trim both sides! I used to pick string beans from my grandmother’s garden which is a big deal to mention because I hate gardens and dirt. You won’t find me doing much outdoors aside from running or going to the beach lol…My friends and I are the same. It’s like time hasn’t passed once we are together or even talk after not talking for a while.meredith @ The Cookie ChRUNicles recently posted…Weekly Workout Recap 10/6/14-10/12/14

I also love to roast green beans with hoisin sauce. 425, stir a couple times, delicious! My high school friends and I still get together a couple times a year. Our daily lives are all very different, but when we see each other we are as close as ever. My college friends and I have drifted for the most part. But that’s okay. We’re all just figuring life out as we go. Some learn some lessons sooner or later than others.Katie recently posted…Peace Perspective XXXX: This Sick Beat

My best friend and I are like that. She lives in China right now. We talk every once and a while via text or FaceTime. When we are reunited it’s like we were never apart. We are both so different and somehow we click so well. Some of my best moments in life have been with her.Alex @ Alex Runs For Food recently posted…Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms & A Giveaway

I would have never thought of putting those together. But I think I would love that combination. The touch of sweet from pomegranates would be yummy.Jen @ Pretty Little Grub recently posted…FYI Friday – Preventing the Thanksgiving bulge

Fresh green beans are my favorite because they remind me of summers with my Mema. We used to pick the beans from the garden and “snap” them – both ends were snapped off and then we would snap them in half!
This recipe looks tasty and healthier than the version she made with bacon grease, butter and new potatoes!Kim recently posted…Catching Up (9/28 – 10/11)

These pics are gorgeous, but they totally make me think of Christmas 😛 And I’m definitely a trimmer on BOTH ends. I didn’t even know there was an option not to…Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…. link love 10/12 .

I’m still friends with a lot of my friends from high school but I only now see a few of my friends from college. I moved overseas right after graduation and I think this made keeping in touch with some people hard. But I’ve met a ton of new friends too!Britt@MyOwnBalance recently posted…A Classic New York Evening at Eleven Madison Park

This is awful… but I totally use canned green beans when I make them. Don’t tell anyone.

My friends are all pretty much like me… grew up similarly, in similar fields, enjoy the same things… it’s just going to be so rough leaving everyone. It’s been a lot of tears and getting emotional in person and via text the past week.Cassie recently posted…What to Do When You’re Laid Off

[…] beans are simply prepared, but will add a delicious sparkle as a side dish! This recipe by the Healthy Maven requires just five ingredients and features crispy green beans made tangy by balsamic vinegar and […]